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For openers: The Treatment Before fans get the treatment from Kiss and Mötley Crüe, they’ll get The Treatment. The British quintet that favors a vintage, riff-heavy sound, is touring in support of its 2011 debut album, “This Might Hurt.” The band just released a five-song, all-covers EP on iTunes that include its takes on JoJo Gunne (“Run Run Run”), ELO (“Evil Woman”), Canned Heat (“Let’s Work Together”), Slade (“Take Me Home Tonight”) and guitar-hero countryman Chris Spedding (“Motor Biking”).

Flashback: Creatures of the Night tour Kiss and Mötley Crüe arrive in town as co-headliners Sunday. It wasn’t like this back in 1983, when they joined forces for the Creatures of the Night tour. Kiss was a rock ’n’ roll institution going through a fallow period, thanks to personnel squabbles and changing musical tastes. (In fact, at the end of the tour, Kiss ditched its makeup.) Meanwhile, the Crüe was a rowdy upstart opening act looking to make a mark on its first national tour. And it didn’t go so well, according to bassist Nikki Sixx. He said the Crüe, which opened only a handful of shows (five spring dates, according to a Kiss concert archive), was kicked off the tour. “That’s what we were told,” he said in a July interview with USA Today contributor Brian Mansfield. “But when I mention it to Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, they don’t remember it that way.” The article notes that rumor has it that Sixx had been caught having sex with the girlfriend of Kiss drummer Eric Carr, which might have been a factor in his band getting the boot. Sixx didn’t exactly deny it: “We definitely did stuff like that back in the day.” Footnote: Both bands played San Antonio’s Convention Center Arena in 1983 but not together, according to the records of San Antonio concert promoter Stone City Attractions. The Plasmatics (remember Wendy O. Williams?) opened for Kiss; the Crüe topped a bill featuring Axe and Heaven. — Robert JohnsonSources: USA Today, Stone City Attractions

“We are the masters of bells and whistles, and we are going to leave the audience exhausted at the end of every show,” said Simmons at a news conference announcing the 40-date tour.

“When you see fireworks going off at a McCartney show, where do you think he got that from? Gerry and the Pacemakers?”

All which means that Simmons will be spewing flames and drooling blood and drummer Tommy Lee's drum kit will once again be attached to a roller coaster-style rig.

Of course, Mötley Crüe frontman Vince Neil will have a small bevy of babes nearby, according to press reports.

But it's the nostalgic set lists of radio hits that will keep multigenerational fans on their feet and pumping their fists.

Mötley Crüe's show has included songs not different from last time around with “Saints of Los Angeles” “Wild Side,” “Shout at the Devil,” “Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.),” “Looks That Kill,” “Girls, Girls, Girls,” “Kickstart My Heart,” plus a new one called “Sex.”

They'll play “Shout It Out Loud,” “Love Gun,” “God of Thunder” and “Rock and Roll All Nite” and also throw in a new song, “Hell or Hallelujah,” from an upcoming studio album, “Monster.” It's their 20th album.

In the same media announcement, Simmons explained why Mötley Crüe was perfect for opening the rock show. They're co-headliners, actually.

“They were loud, proud kids from the street, which was exactly what we wanted,” he said. “You want the opening act to come up there and challenge you. What's the use of being the world champion boxer if the guy who's in the ring with you isn't gonna give you a run for your money?

“If they challenge you, it makes you a better fighter, and it makes for a better fight. That's why we take great pride in the bands we've brought on tour with us. They're always able to stand on their own two legs — and then we come out and crush them.”

A&E's “Family Jewels” star explained just how that happens. “(With) more firepower than most Third World countries.”